Adjustable grade iron fence



Oct. 22, 1940.

G. A. GUSTAFSON ADJUSTABLE GRADE IRON FENCE Filed Aug. 7, 1939 PatentedOct. 22, 1940 UNITED sTArEs ADJUSTABLE GRADE IRON FENCE Gustaf A.Gustafson, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to v Cyclone Fence Company, acorporation of Illi- Application August 7, 1939, Serial No 288,856

" 2 Claims.

' The'invention 'relate s to improvements in fence structure and hasmore particular reference to an improved iron fence of the ornamentalpicket- Still another object is to provide an iron picket fence whereinthe horizontal rails are fabricated from a plurality of parts stampedfrom sheet metal which are capable of holding the fence in assembledrelation although permitting limited articulated movement so that thefence can be adjusted to conform to the slope and contour of the groundat the place of erection.

Another object is to provide an ornamental iron fence of the characterdescribed wherein the horizontal rails and pickets will be held inassembled relation without the use of welding or fastening means of anykind..

The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully describedand as particularly pointed out in the claims, the following descriptionand the annexed drawing setting forth in detail the certain illustrativeembodiment of the invention, this being indicative of but one of thenumber of ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In the drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention andwherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts:

Figure l is a front elevation of a sectionof fence construction inaccordance with the present invention;'

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the part of the fenceof Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation.

The present fence is similar in appearance to the ornamental iron fenceof the type having vertical pickets, although the horizontal rails ofthe present fence are fabricated from sections stamped from sheet metal.The pickets thereof may also be stamped from sheet metal, although solidiron pickets may be used if desired, and are, therefore, to beconsidered as coming within the invention.

Referring to Figurezl, the-fence of the invention may .be described-ascomprising. vertical pickets indicatedj'by the numeral Iii held invertical position and in proper spaced relation by horizontal upper andlower rails indicated generally by numerals II and-I2, respectively. Aspreviously described, the pickets may be stamped from sheet metal, inwhich case they will be channel-shaped in cross sections, or saidpickets may be of solid iron (not shown). The upper ends of the picketsare preferably pointed, as at [3, in any desired decorative manner.

The upper and lower rails It and i2, respectively, are identical inconstruction, each including a substantially U-shaped member I6 which isshown in inverted position in Figure 3. The side walls of thesubstantially U-shaped member it are identical and provide intermediatestraight portions H, the outer and lower extremities being inwardlycurved .toprovide clamping surfaces IS, the function of which will belater described.

At spaced points along the length ofthe inverted substantially U-shapedmembers It the web or base portions l9 thereof are provided withapertures 2| which, although larger, are shaped to conform toaccommodate the vertical pickets l0.

Referring again to Figure 3, it will be noted that each of the verticalpickets I0 is provided with two horizontal slots, as at 23 and 24,across the rearward faces thereof andadjacent the posi-, tions of theupper and lower rails II and I2, respectively. One of the horizontalslots 23 is considerably wider than the other slot 24 which is for apurpose to be later described.

The inverted substantially U-shaped members I6 receive, through theirapertures 2|, the vertical pickets l0 and clamp the same in position bymeans of the clamping surfaces [8 on the outer and lower extremities ofthe fiat portions I! of the side walls'. It willbe noted that theclamping surface l8, which is on the side of the picket Ill having thehorizontal slots 23 and 24, seats in the slot 23, thereby providingincreased strength.

The upper and lower rails II and [2, respectively, are first put inposition after which the vertical pickets are inserted. Because of theclamping effect of the surfaces l8, the vertical pickets H) areprevented from endwise movement, but the upper and lower rails H and I2,respectively, can be put on a grade because of the hinge pickets I 0.

The smaller of the horizontal slots 24 provides a definite lock with theadjacent clamping surface l8 of the U-shaped member, but the larger ofthe horizontal slots 23 provides sufiicient clearance to enable theswinging in either direction of the upper and lower rails H and I2,respectively.

It is not necessary to weld any parts of the present fence nor arefastening means of any kind required. The parts are retained inassociated relation simply by the cooperation of the invertedsubstantially U-shaped members l6 and the vertical pickets l0.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of theinvention, 1 do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since variousmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Fence structure of the ornamental iron type consisting of verticallydisposed pickets supported by spaced upper and lower rails, each railincluding a U-shaped member having apertures in its web to receive thevertically disposed pickets while permitting limited pivotal movement ofthe pickets, the ends of the legs of said U-shaped members havingclamping contact with said pickets, said pickets having a groove toreceive the end of one of the legs of each of said U-shaped memberswhereby the latter are held against displacement.

2. Fence structure of the ornamental iron type consisting of verticallydisposed pickets supported by spaced upper and lower rails, each railincluding a U-shaped member having apertures in its web to receive thevertically disposed pickets while permitting limited pivotal movement ofthe pickets, the ends of the legs of said U-shaped members havingclamping contact with said pickets, said pickets having a groove toreceive the end of one of the legs of each of said U-shaped memberswhereby the latter are held against displacement, and means carried bythe pickets for permitting thelimited pivotal movement of said lastnamedlegs. V v

GUSTAF A. GUSTAFSON.

